Otaki By-election

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From paucity to excess!

What can we make of the fact that there were too few nominations in October to have a full Otaki Community Board but within two months after the main event the call for nominations for a by-election produces seven candidates!

Perhaps members of the community did not realize that we needed five people standing for the community as the ward councillor is appointed back to the board to make the commitment of five members. The resignation of one member before he had started was curious and unexpected.

Doing A Good Job

Perhaps the community thought the Otaki Community Board was doing an excellent job. That’s true. It was a hard working, unified board with a heavy programme of work, with significant work from the annual plan, the Greater Otaki programme, the Otaki by-pass to the day to day stuff.

Even so good democracy calls for different people to put themselves up for election so you get a change of ideas, a different approach, different dynamics and maybe different solutions.

And so a By-election

So we have the election now instead of last October. Three women, four men, two Maori, a combination of old and young, rational or not, have decided to have a go. They deserve our votes.

We need to elect two members. Perhaps we should vote for equality of sexes. We have a current board of two men and one woman. Perhaps we should vote for equality of race. Perhaps we should vote for commitment (or not) to the democratic process which sees the work getting done in a harmonious and reasoned fashion.

Significant Work Ahead

With the significant work needing to be done and the need to get the best for Otaki from LTNZ as it works its way to by-passing the town, the board needs to have strength and ability to work together. Above all it needs to be able to minimize any negative effects on Otaki.

A Place for the Maverick or Not?

Although there is often a place for a maverick who stands aside from the process, Otaki is too small and its future too vulnerable for there to be disharmony amongst board members. Sometimes democracy is best served by working together.

The new Board will have at its helm the very able and experienced Don Moselin as its chair which will benefit Otaki in the months to come.